When visibility is low because of fog over automobile roads and airports, these facilities are closed to ensure safety, and this leads to large financial losses.
Methods for dispersing fog are disclosed in a first technical example: "Electrostatic Net for Liquefaction and Elimination of Fog" in Japanese Utility Model Application No. Sho 64-32747, a second technical example: "Method for Improving Hydro-Atmospheric Phenomenon and an Apparatus therefor" in Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 7-197428, and a third technical example: "Method for Improving Hydro-Atmospheric Phenomenon and Apparatus therefor" in Japanese Patent Application, First Publication No. Hei 8-218340.
In the first technical example, conductive nets are arranged on both sides of a conductive fine wire, and a high voltage is applied to the conductive fine wire to produce a corona discharge, so that charged fog particles are absorbed by the conductive nets with ground electrodes using Coulomb force and are collected as water drops.
In the second technical example, a direct current high voltage is applied to a corona discharge wire to produce a corona discharge. Another direct current high voltage with the polarity opposite or identical to the corona discharge wire is applied to the charged particles driven by an electric field of the corona discharge wire, so that the charged particles are affected by the electrical field of the control wire. Thus, the charged particles are conducted to adhere to water in the air, condensing and binding into water, and dispersing the fog.
In the third technical example, a direct current high voltage is applied to a corona discharge wire to produce corona discharge. Another direct current high voltage with the polarity opposite to that applied to the corona discharge wire is applied to control wires, which are aligned in the horizontal direction, are separated from each other at a specified interval, and are positioned above the corona discharge wire. Charged particles produced by the corona discharge are driven upward by the electric field of the control wires, adhering to water in the air, condensing and binding into water, and dispersing the fog.
However, there is some problems as to the effect of the dispersal of fog over wide areas. Further, there is a problem that, because the conductive nets, the corona discharge wire, the control wire, and the high voltage direct current power sources must be prepared to disperse fog over wide areas, it is difficult to achieve reduction of the costs.
The present invention is intended to resolve the above-described technical problems, and has the following as its goals:
(1) The expansion of the fog dispersal area. PA1 (2) The achievement of controlling and managing the fog dispersal area. PA1 (3) The simplification of the device and the reduction of the costs. PA1 (4) The expanding of the applicability to land traffic roads such as automobile roads and railroads, airports, harbors, and golf courses.